How God transformed our hearts for His Kingdom in Africa through the adoption of our children.

The Radiant Bride

What a strange thought. And it came out of nowhere. I was alone and driving in the car.

I don’t know when. Or where. But someday I will take my little girl for one last walk and then her heart will belong to another.

She will be radiant.

Her hair will be perfect. Robin will see to that.

Her dress will be fabulous (and expensive).

But the honor of walking her down the aisle will fall to me… wow! What have I done to deserve this?

She was born in a far off land to another family who loved her and tried to care for her as best they could. She came to us… wild and afraid. Those early days were long and hard. But love to hold and grew into something unique and beautiful.

On her wedding day, Addie’s eyes will be on a young man at the front of the sanctuary who will be wearing a rented tuxedo and scared to death. And all eyes will be on her. Deservedly so. After all she is… perfect… just as her Heavenly Father intended her to be. The road to that sanctuary may have been a bumpy one. But on that day, the past will be forgotten and we will simply bathe in the beauty of the present. Together.

Knowing me, I will try to say something profound or memorable, but all that I will be able to say will be “you are so beautiful” or “your mother and I are so proud of you”. But that will be enough.

There will be tears and smiles as we are overwhelmed by emotions too powerful to describe. Our beautiful Congolese angel is flying away.

Any pain, frustration or heart-ache will have faded into distant memory. All that will remain will be a strong, mature and precious woman beaming with the joy of young love.

My daughter has given me a fresh glimpse of what it means to be a Christian.

To be the Church.

The bride of Christ.

The words are not new to me, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ” Thanks to Addie, this amazing little princess, who faces the challenges of each day with reckless abandon, I now have a better understanding of the Apostle Paul’s meaning.

Someday I will be the Father of the Bride. I will be beaming (and broke). But today I am also part of the Bride of Christ. And while the simple thought of walking my little girl down the aisle to be married bring me to tears, my emotions pale in comparison to how God the Father views the Church, the Bride of Christ.

The Church is far from perfect. Be it is loved and therein lies its true worth.

He has called us.

Redeemed us.

And we are loved.

The wedding day of Jesus and His Bride cost the Father dearly. His one and only Son. But so great was His love for us that He paid the price.

And someday God the Father will march us down the aisle so that we may spend eternity with Christ.